Constitutional Liberty Amendment Needed

I have edited this post for clarity following comments reflecting gross misinterpretation of what I wrote previously. Note the emphasis on state con con in the current version.

Hawaii, along with 13 other states, has a ballot issue that asks whether a periodic state Constitutional Convention (Con Con) should be held as permitted by their existing constitutions. Here is what I wrote earlier today:

http://www.hawaiilibertychronicles.com/?p=146

I...suggest that a new HawaiiCon Con would enable us as a society to address an incredibly important issue that also needs to be addressed on a national level. This is an issue that cuts to the heart of our federal, Democratic Republic. This year upwards of a billion dollars or more will be spent by the two major candidates for the Presidency. As a result of choice being effectively limited to the chosen candidates of special interests, we essentially have no choice. We will get the "worst government that money can buy."

As a psychologist and former hypnotherapist, I can testify to the extent to which human behavior and thought can be molded by advertising and even deliberate mind control techniques. When a billion dollars are spent in an effort to influence the voting public, this constitutes a travesty of the electoral process. It becomes a pseudo-election that masquerades as a reflection of the voice of the majority of citizens. In a Republic, the rights of a minority are protected by constitutional guarantees. But, if we allow, big money to control voter choice through manipulation of thoughts and feelings, then the protection of minority voices is trampled.

I propose that Hawaii could take the initiative in addressing the issue of campaign advertising. Ask yourself the question: How does partisan, decidedly manipulative advertising foster the development of an informed electorate?

I propose more specifically that partisan advertising that is designed to bypass the critical reasoning ability of voters impinges on basic rights that must be guaranteed by a government's constitution. We all have the right not to be bombarded with partisan political advertising that encourages us to react emotionally and not critically. I suggest that preservation of freedom of choice requires that a government that would uphold individual liberty should require that all campaign information be balanced with the opposing viewpoint, as in a debate or on the ballot, where one side speaks and the other side has an opportunity to counter with an alternate perspective. In this way, the voter can become informed, not programmed to react like an automaton.

Another very important Constitutional guarantee should preserve the freedom of all citizens to articulate their viewpoints to the nation through a multi-party system. Control of national elections by a private organization should be eliminated as violation of the individual freedom that our Constitution was designed to preserve. For such an organization to dictate that a party must achieve 15% support before being admitted to national debates is a travesty of the democratic process, just as is the huge expense that is required for a party to gain ballot access.

A new "Liberty Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution could correct the incursions into the democratic process and remove "dictatorial" control by economic and political special interest groups.